Window closure



Patented Feb. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW CLOSURE Frank Beachy, Swissvale, Pa.

Application May 4, 1942, Serial No. 441,587

8 Claims.

While my invention is hereinafter described as employed in connection with a window screen, it will be understood that it can also be used for closing other openings, and without a screen.

One object of my invention is to provide a closure or blind of simple form that will be operated automatically to close a window opening, upon the occurrence of rain or fue.

Another object of my invention is to provide a closure of the type preferred to that can readily be applied to window screens of standard forms.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational view at the outer side of a window with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale, of the apparatus of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 2, partly in perspective and partly in section, on a still larger scale; Fig. 4 shows a modication of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view showing the temporary paper holding clip of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 shows a paper strip suitable for use with the apparatus.

The apparatus is shown as employed in connection with a window opening that has a window frame 3, a window sill 4 and a vertically movable sash 5. A window screen is shown as set in the frame, below the sash 5, and comprises the ordinary screen frame 6 and wire mesh 1. Slats 3 which may be of metal or other suitable material are pivoted at their inner` edges to the verticallyextending portions of the screen frame 6, as indicated at 9. In this instance, staples are driven into the screen frame for hingedly supporting the slats, but it will be understood that other forms of pivotal connections may be employed. At their outer edges the slats have a pull rod or wire I loosely connected therewith, the edges of the slats being provided with eyes I I and the wire I0 having bends I2 that extend through the eyes I I. A strip I3 is welded or otherwise secured to the upper surface of the topmost slat 6 and has a bentup portion I4 which is slotted in its upper end. The inner end of the strip I3 is upturned at I5 to abut against the upper bar of the screen frame 6 and thus limit upward swinging movement of the slats. The parts described may be of metal or other suitable material.

The screen frame 6 is bored to receive a bushing I6 that is provided with a ilange Ia on its outer end. A sleeve II has sliding movement in the bushing I6 and has a iiange I8. A spring I9 that is interposed between the shoulder ange I8 and the screen frame yiedably urges the sleeve I I rearwardly. A strip 2U of paper or other material which will readily soften and be weakened by rain extends through the bushing I6, the inner end of the strip being widened or thickened at 2|, so that it will abut against the inner end of the sleeve and not be pulled therethrough. The outer end' of the strip 20 has notches in its edges, so that it can be pushed down into the notched end of the post I4 and thereby anchored thereto. The extremities of the strip 2B will be strengthened by dipping them in varnish or other stiiiening material, or by folding them back as indicated at 2| and 23, the turned-back ends being glued to the body portions.

The strip 20 is of such length that it will retain the slats 8 in their horizontal positions as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. By employing the spring I9, the strip is maintained under such tension that it will retain the slats in the projected positions as shown, even though the strip occupies an approximately horizontal position. This avoids the necessity of providing an anchoring point for the inner end of the strip at a substantial elevation above the upper edge of the screen frame. The stop I5 prevents up currents of air from rattling the'slats 8 excessively and from raising them to such extent that subsequent downward movement thereof would throw tearing strains on the paper strip 2l).

It will be seen that when there is rain, it will soften the strip 2l) so that it will tear, through the weight of the slats 8 that is transmitted by the lifting members I0 and I4, thereby permitting the slats to fall to their closed positions as shown in Fig. I, and preventing rain from blowing through the window. In order to cause prompt weakening of the paper strip upon the occurrence of rain, I provide a spout-like element 24 that may be secured to the flange IGa or to the screen frame This spout tapers and slopes toward the strip 2i), so that the strip will be amply wetted immediately upon the occurrence of even a light rain.

After the rain has ended, the apparatus can be reset by installing another paper strip. To this end, the outer extremity 23 of the strip is sufliciently small that it can be slid through the sleeve I 'I from the inner end thereof, and hooked into place in the post I4 when the outer edges of the slats have been raised.

In order to adapt the apparatus to window frames of various Widths, I provide slots 25 in the vertical edges of the screen frame 6, for the reception of strips 26 that have telescopic t with the slots so as to permit expansion of the parts to fit in the frames which are wider than the screen frame 6.

It will be seen that the apparatus will function also as a fire screen, since by the use of a paper strip or other material that will be affected by heat, the shutter slats will automatically close as upon the occurrence of fire in an adjoining building.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7, I show a modification of the structure of Fig. l. The screen E, the slats 8 and the wire I5 are as in Fig. 1, but a metal strap 2l is pivotally connected to the screen frame and a metal strip or lifting member 28 to the topmost slat. The outer or lower end of the strap 2 is bent back and has a tongue 29 struck up therefrom, that extends through a hole in the overlying upper end portion of the strap 28. A paper sleeve 3S is slid into place on the straps and serves as the temporary holding element, since when it is softened or burned the overlapping portions of the straps will collapse, allowing the tongue 25 to be disengaged from the strap 28 and the slats to drop. rhe tongue serves also as a stop element to prevent excessive vibration of the slats by air currents. Quantities of the sleeves 3B can be supplied in preformed condition, or gumined strips El `provided in quantities, so that the user can wrap them around the straps and fasten their ends together by the adhesive.

rlhe members 21 and 23 are in relatively angular relation and the pull which is exerted by the weight of the slats 8 tends to bring the straps 21 and 28 into parallelism, with the result that when the paper is softened, such strain will tear the paper, and as these members move into parallelism, the tongue 29 will be disengaged from its slot.

The term destructible holding member is employed in the claims as applying to material such as paper that will be weakened by water, as well as to paper or other material which will be consumed or weakened by heat.

I claim as my invention:

l. Shutter apparatus comprising a frame, outwardly-extending slats pivotally connected to the frame at their inner edges, a lifting member pivotally connected to the outer edges of the slats member and holding element, independently of said destructible member.

2. Shutter apparatus comprising a frame, outwardly-extending slats pivotally connected to the frame at their inner edges, a lifting member pivotally connected to the outer edges of the slats and adapted to normally hold them in horizontally-extended and vertically-spaced relation, a holding element pivotally connected to a. Xed support, and a destructible holding member for maintaining the lifting member and the said element in connected relation, the adjacent ends of the lifting member and the holding element being overlapped and the destructible member being arranged as a sleeve around the overlapped portions.

3. Shutter apparatus comprising a frame, outwardly-extending slats pivotally connected to the frame at their inner edges, a lifting member connected to the outer edges of the slots and adapted to normally hold them in horizontally-extended and vertically-spaced relation, a destructible holding member connected at its outer end to the upper end of the lifting member, and means comprising a spring tensioned element for anchoring the inner end of the holding member to a fixed support.

e. Shutter apparatus comprising a frame, outwardly-extending slats pivotally connected to the frame at their inner edges, a lifting member connected to the outer edges of the slats and adapted to normally hold them in horizontallyextended and vertically-spaced relation, a destructible holding member connected at its outer end to the upper end of the lifting member, means comprising a spring tensioned element for anchoring the inner end of the holding member to a fixed support, and a stop member for limiting upward swinging movement of the slats.

5. Shutter apparatus comprising a frame, outwardly-extending slats pivotally connected to the frame at their inner edges, a lifting member connected to the outer edges of the slats and adapted to normally hold them in horizontallyextended and vertically-spaced relation, a destructible holding member of paper connected at its outer end to the upper end of the lifting member, means for anchoring the inner end of the holding member to a xed support, and a spout member positionedV to direct water against the paper member.

6. The combination with a screen frame or the like, of shutter apparatus comprising slats pivotally connected at their inner edges to the frame, a lifting member connected at the outer edges of the slats and adapted to normally hold them in horizontally-extended and verticallyspaced relation, a destructible holding member, connected at its outer end to the upper end of the lifting member, and means for anchoring the inner end of the holding member to the screen frame, the said means comprising a spring mounted on the frame at a point approximately in horizontal alignment with that at which the holding member is connected to the lifting member.

7. The combination with a screen frame or the like, of shutter apparatus comprising slats pivotally connected at their inner edges to the frame, a lifting member connected to the outer edges of the slats and adapted to normally hold them in horizontally-extended and verticallyspaced relation, a destructible holding member, connected at its outer end to the upper end of the lifting member, and means for anchoring the inner end of the holding member to the screen frame, the said means comprising a bushing eX- tending horizontally through an lupper portion of the frame and slidable therein, with a spring for urging the bushing inwardly of the screen frame.

8. Shutter apparatus comprising a frame, slats each pivotally connected at one edge to the frame, a lifting member connected to the free edges of the slats, a member pivotally connected to the frame and partially overlapping the lifting member, a releasable connection between the said members, and a destructible holding member of paper for releasably maintaining the said connection, with the said members in relatively angular relation, so that upon weakening of the paper the members will be drawn into parallelism with one another and the releasable connection broken.

FRANK BEACHY. 

